Boxer Amir Khan laments that he could not fight Manny Pacquiao as the Filipino prepares to call time on career

Amir Khan has called Manny Pacquiao "one of the best of his generation" in boxingGetty

English boxer Amir Khan has lamented the fact that he has not been able to land a fight with Manny Pacquiao as the Filipino boxer prepares to call time on a decorated career. Pacquiao will face Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas on Saturday after which he will announce his retirement from the sport.

The Filipino will be fighting Bradley for the third time in a career that has seen him become an eight-weight world champion. The camps of the 37-year-old and Khan have had various discussions over the years regarding a face-off but haven't been able to agree on the terms and sign on the dotted line.

The British-born boxer who fights Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in May has lamented the fact that he has not been able to fight with a boxer whom he calls "one of the best of his generation". "You always want to test yourself against the best and Manny is still one of the best around," Khan said as quoted as saying by the Mirror.

"It's a fight we tried to make happen between us but for some reason or other it never came about. My team met with Bob Arum in London and we had agreed everything but it didn't happen.

"It would have been a great fight and backstory but we both have other big fights coming up so are focused on them. What Manny has achieved in boxing is incredible. If he does call it a day with his career he can look back and be very proud of what he achieved because very few fighters have done what he has.

"He's been in top fights, won a lot of world titles and has fought for everything to get where he has got so I have nothing but respect for that. It's clear that he is one of the best fighters of this generation and I wish him nothing but the best if he does end his career against Bradley," he said.

Pacquiao and Bradley have fought each other in 2012 and 2014, with the both the fighters winning one game each. The Filipino though holds the upper hand beating the American in their last encounter, thereby breaking Bradley's unbeaten streak at the MGM Grand-the venue for Saturday's fight.